DTI-Kalinga Provincial Director Grace Baluyan, who is a member of the program steering committee said this year’s Ullalim Festival will be a 4-day celebration marking the province’s 13th Foundation Day, Feb. 13-16.

Kalinga and Apayao became separate provinces on Feb. 14, 1995 under RA 7878 signed by former Pres. Fidel Ramos.

Starting the 4-day affair will be the municipal and sectoral float parade that leads to the provincial capitol grounds, where the opening rite of the Ullalim Festival will be led by Gov. Floydelia Diasen.

The opening rite is signified by the recital of the Ullalim (Kalinga Epic), followed by the sounding of gongs and native Kalinga dance, tachok.

Each municipality will present its own festival based on its significance and implication. Tinglayan will do the Unoy Rice Festival, Pasil the Salip Festival, Tanudan the Tanudan Festival, Balbalan its Manchatchatong Festival, Pasingan Festival of Pinukpuk and other cultural presentations from Amung Chi Bochong of Lubuagan.

Baluyan said the committee has invited Tourism Sec. Joseph Ace Durano as Guest of Honor and Speaker and other Cordillera Tourism officials led Director Purificacion Molintas as guests.

Highlighting the celebration is the Agro-industrial Fair that offers a variety of Kalinga indigenous crops and products of world demand, under the auspices of DTI-Kalinga.

Other highlights include the ‘Provincial Skills Competition’ (PSC) for the skilled workers in the province to display their abilities in a friendly competition.

This aims to promote quality development in technical and vocational skills and develop a pool of world-class Filipino workforce whose skills help enhance both their employability and productivity.

This will be participated in by graduates of community-based training program from the municipalities, students from the private and public schools in the province, industry workers, entrepreneur, out-of-school youths, graduates and professionals, graduates from the Technical Educational Skills and Development Authority Provincial Training Center (TESDA-PTC), and even from the group of people with disabilities.

Contested areas which will be conducted in open and youth categories include Information Technology, Welding, Building Wiring, Horticulture, Automotive Servicing, Consumer Electronics, and Indigenous Crafts.

It will likewise showcase demos on beauty care like body massage, facial, foot spa, hair styling and cosmetology.

Martial arts enthusiasts will also be witnessing self defense demonstrations by the Kalinga Colleges of Science and Technology, Saint Louis College of Bulanao and the Philippine National Police.

The inclusion of the PSC in the province’s annual major event is in support to the flagship of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo to create more jobs for the Filipino through the provision and promotion of skills training producing a world-class and competent workforce.

Like the Kalinga legendary washing at the waters of Chico River to end the day’s toils, participants and guests to the 4-day Ullalim Festival are invited to take the Chico River white water rafting, a 4-hour exasperating challenge on the Chico rapids.

Baluyan said the province, which is emerging as the new tourism discovery of the Cordillera, aims to develop the annual Ullalim Festival as an attraction, and later have it at the levels of Aklan’s Ati-atihan and Cebu’s Sinulog festivals.

During the initial meeting, the planners presented the proposed highlights of activities which include cultural shows and tourism programs, agro-industrial trade fair, street dancing to be participated by the various local government units, schools, people’s organization and non-government organization, Float Parade by the LGUs and business sectors and Laga Fashion Show which will showcase the Kalinga inspired designs.

The festivals will start on February 13 with the Trade and Culture Day featuring the Grand Parade, opening of the Trade Fair, Indigenous Cook fest and the Laga Fashion Show.

The second day which coincides with the Valentine Day Celebration will be the Anniversary Day showcasing the Float Parade, Cultural Parade and Cultural presentations, Indigenous Games and Musical Play.

The celebration on the 15th will feature the cultural presentation of the various schools in the province which includes an Street Dancing and Variety Shows.

According to Geronimo Donaal, this event provides an opportunity for the Kalingas to come together and renew their kinship ties and better understand their identity as a people and “since this is in time with the celebration of Valentine’s Day, the event he said should have a Valentine spirit – love, peace and unity.”

The event he informed would also “provide the opportunity for the entrepreneurs in the province to sell and promote their products.”

“We are banking on full participation and support of the public, LGUs, schools, the business sector, private institutions, POs, NGO, and other ethnic groups in the province for the success of our celebration,” he expressed.

The first agenda is the establishment of a 50/50 partnership between the government and the private sector in tourism development. The tourism industry, she pointed out, is not the sole responsibility of the government but more on the initiative of the private sector.

“The tourism industry is a magnet industry. It attracts development from physical to social infrastructure this is why we need to support it,” she said “there is so much at stake in making tourism as one flagship program and this is evident everywhere,” she expressed.

The second agenda is the need for an aggressive marketing and promotions programs. “This is what we need in the province. As a destination we are fortunate that our tourism assets cater to the high end or jet setting people who have money to spend,” she underscored.

Sharing her experiences how the Chico River Quest Incorporated (CRQI) became internationally known as a world class destination, she said that they had to make a lot of sacrifices and invest much in its promotion.

The third agenda is the ‘development of more events and destinations’ where the province should consider hosting events instead of the province bringing its culture, arts and products to other provinces for them to enjoy and benefit from.

“With this tourism development agenda we look forward to a small step that would lead to a giant leap towards the development in the province,” she said with optimism.

Expressing her support to the proposal, Diasen said that it is a big responsibility for the new officers to lead the industry to spur economic development and bring about changes to the place and its people.

She stressed the need to solve the problems affecting the development of the industry like the wrong perception of the peace and order situation, bad or lack of roads and other needed tourism facilities.

“There is no tribal wars in Kalinga, we are peace loving people,” she said explaining that there is only the disruptions of the peace and order when there are crimes that affect the situation of peace and order in the province,” she stated.

Infrastructure she said is important to cater to the needs of tourists as she encouraged provincial legislators to pour more effort and support to develop the industry.

In terms of promotion, the governor underscored the need for the people of Kalinga to appreciate what they have. “Each of us should advertise the beauty that we have in the province and invite people to come and see these,” she said challenging everyone to “become ambassadors of the tourism industry”.

Tinglayan Tourism Officer Designate Noel Macaiba informed that this scheme is designed to meet the vision of turning the municipality into an eco-tourism destination, where the culture and tradition of the people are preserved and reflected in all development plans of the LGU.

Macaiba said that to ensure the enforcement of this plan, the LGU came up with a Local Tourism Code regulating all development activities to gear towards the enhancement of the tourism industry.

Aside from the infrastructures which should be symbolic of the culture, we also include the livelihood practices of the people in agriculture to pursue the traditional or the old ways of farming, he said.

He cited the traditional way of processing rice, which the LGU is encouraging since it will also enhance the organic production of ‘unoy’ rice in the municipality.

To get the support of the people, Macaiba said that part of their tourism planning package is giving importance to social preparation requiring the active participation of the people and barangay officials.

“We have to inform and prepare the people on the effects of tourism industry in the ‘ili’ and in the economy,” he said.

To preserve the town as an eco-tourist destination, he said that tourism activities must also be regulated and maintained to be sensitive to the culture being a place of the Binodngans.

“Like in the case of Mount Pulag, we also have to protect our environment and culture, so we recommend that all tourists coming to Tinglayan must have to coordinate with the proper authority in the municipality before doing any activity,” he said.

He explained that this will not only regulate the coming in of people but also aims to inform visitors on what the place could offer and the don’t and do’s so that they will have a safe and enjoyable stay in our municipality.

Investors according to Macaiba are likewise encouraged to put up businesses which are geared towards the vision of enhancing the culture of the municipality.

Providing some insights for visitor, Macaiba said that Tinglayan as a tourism destination offers a vast adventure activities like white water rafting, spelunking, trekking and nature watching.

“We have trained guides and we have also established homestays for tourist who wants to experience the way of life of the Ykalingas,” he said.

He is inviting the public to join the people of Tinglayan in celebrating the “Unoy Festivals this coming December. (ggd/PIA Kalinga)

Photo Courtesy of : Chico River Quest White Water Rafting

Face your Fear! Get Ready! Now forward, hard forward, harder!. Everybody listens to Danny Bravo – the head rafter as everybody gets wilder than the river itself. This is a challenge of endurance and ability for those who like to attack the edge.

If your attitude leans toward extreme sports then this 225 kilometer stretch of adrenaline-pumping whitewater is for you! But although it is ranked among the extreme sports, it doesn’t mean you can’t take the family to enjoy it and get them “Wild over Water”. Anyone who enjoys the outdoors and is looking for adventure will be delighted by whitewater rafting. People of all ages and athletic abilities, with no previous experience raft the rivers can challenge the rapids and enjoy the wilderness fun. The Chico River is for those seeking untamed whitewater thrills offering potentially terrifying drops, ledges, rapids and the most exciting sightseeing trip.

The Kalinga Trip
The adventure actually begins on the night of December 26,2006, when Roger Alcantara – a Manila Times photojournalist and myself had to take an almost 12 hours bus ride from the bus terminal in Espana, Manila to get to Tabuk in Kalinga Province. Our bus departure time was 10:15pm and we finally reached Tabuk at around 9:45am with about three stopovers in between, more than enough to urinate and to take a long dreamed coffee break. The best thing about taking long trips at night is you normally fall asleep because you hardly see anything interesting along the road.

When we arrived at the Davidson Hotel, a surprising twenty excited rafters are also there having their breakfast. After unloading our things in our room, had enough time to freshen up and came down to enjoy a local breakfast, we waited for Naty Sugguiayao – our host for this trip of never ending adventure. After loading up, we went to lawagan resort to fetch some other rafters headed by Lito Beltran, a popular photography instructor of the Federation of Philippine Photographers Foundation.

The Rafting Adventure
It was not a sunny day; imagine a kalinga mountain trekking with a freezing temperature is maybe not everybody’s adventure, but a worthy experience though. Along the rough roads leading to Lubuagan, a breathtaking view of the rice terraces, waterfalls and kalingans greeting you “Umali Kayo” a native tongue of saying “Welcome” will definitely make your day. As we reached Lubuagan – the start-off point, a rafting safety seminar was given. Lead rafter Danny Bravo gave us the tips on how to read the river, the paddling moves and the most important survival guide. If anybody falls from the raft, just go with the flow, never let go the paddle if you are not in a shallow rapid; use your feet to push against the rocks, until the guides throw you a safety rope and bang! You’re back to adventure – a line remembered by the author.

Vital to every rafting, the basic paddle commands to be remembered are, “forward”, “backward”, “left back” and “right back”. Finally, after life jackets were checked, the head gears are buckled, the grip on the paddles are tightened, each foot are in proper positioning and cameras are safe in a dry sealed pelican boxes, the river raft were pushed of the mooring to negotiate Class III and IV rapids. It doesn’t take long after you’ve gotten into a raft to realize this is an exciting fun filled way to spend a day. The first rapid, is just the start of a heart stopping several mile series of rapids that intensifies in its strength and power until you find yourself enjoying every second of the ride. But that is far from the end of the trip. No, there is still more white water to come along with calm sections where you can get out of the raft and frolic in the river.

Along with both of us are four raft guides conquering the wild river with a raft named Allasiw meaning an exchange of four peace tokens – a gesture of the historic head-hunter tribes of Kalinga. Our fear was totally gone as the ride went on and each time we conquered a rapid, or skirted a rock formation, we laugh out loud and then branded each victory with a rousing rafters “High Five” gesture.

In between moments of sheer adrenaline, the head rafter lectured us on the names given to a popular Chico River spots such as Angel’s Nightmare, Gods Playground, Dead Carabao, Piggybank, Danny’s Drop (where Danny Bravo slammed into a rock and broke his tooth) and Dragons Tail. Each site gives us a different taste of adventure no one can ever forget. Sometimes it is tricky finding time to enjoy the scenery because you are so focused on the awesome wild river exploration.

It took us almost three hours for that ride, we stopped over to a flat river where we enjoy our break beneath a breathtaking waterfalls while having a snack and of course a feast for the smoking dragons. Our raft moves ahead for the second half for us to take advantage of the much awaited wild rapids and perhaps to have our photo shoot. Although drenched by the cool waters and freezing temperature, the rafters were still excited and exhilarated when they finally get back to the dry. Upon reaching “Malaking Bato” – the drop-off point, we enjoyed a bountiful lunch by the river with a perfect aroma of locally grown Robusta coffee. This trip creates the perfect blend of natural exercise, exhilaration and serenity that will have you coming back year after year!

History in the Making
Whitewater rafting is the newest sports adventure to invade the local shore. While high-adventure travelers craving for more whitewater rafting spots beyond Central America and Africa flocked for decades to the rivers of Brazil and Borneo, the Philippines remained in the quiet depths, all but overlooked. It was in 1995 when initial kayaking was done in Cagayan de Oro with the goal of introducing Whitewater rafting in the Philippines. Long before 1995, adventure driven group however have been involved in river expeditions, studying its characteristic for more than 10 years and honing their skills in paddling the rapids. Those activities have prompted the discovery of one of the word’s most exciting rapids of Kalinga’s Chico River.

Ned Sickles together with other Oregon natives Gary Fondren and Dr. Bob Anderson were the first to discover the sports-tourism potentials of the Chico River as a world-class whitewater rafting destination when they spot it in 1997 via satellite mapping, after which the group traveled all the way from the United States to visit the Cordillera’s. Joining them on their first exploratory run were Tita Naty’s eldest daughter Mae Shiu who was with the UP Mountaineers then and Elmer Cabotaje who is now a boar of trustee of the Philippine Airlines Mountaineering Club.

The exploration lasted for four days; needless to say, they were impressed with awesome natural scenery, the diversity of rapid levels, and the rivers cultural, historical and political contributions. From then on, Ned and company returned every year to train native kalingans to become a professional river guides. Ned Sickles was considered the father of Chico River Whitewater rafting. He brought all the international standard rafting equipments including the latest named after the native name of Naty Sugguiyao called “Lagunawa” meaning a beautiful lady. The months of July to January are primetime months and have historically offered the most rainfall, highest water and most exciting whitewater rapids. So if you are planning to challenge the rapids and party in between, you have the months of February to June to plan your trip.

Chico River Quest Inc. is the biggest Whitewater rafting tour operator in Kalinga, being managed and operated by Kalinga natives headed by Naty Sugguiyao. CRQI operates in partnership with Kalinga Raft Guides Association, these enthusiast know the river well and received their training from professional whitewater guides from the USA.

Contacts:
Naty Sugguiyao : Mobile # 0920-2052680
PO Box Bulanao, Tabuk 3800
Kalinga Province, Philippines
Email: chicoriver@yahoo.com
Web: http://www.chicoriverquest.com
 

Getting There:
By Air:
Philippine Airlines flies from Manila to Tuguegarao thrice weekly on Mondays, Wednesdays and Saturdays.
From Tuguegarao, it’s an hour by Bus or Jeep to Tabuk.
PAL Reservations: (02) 855-8888

By Land:
Autobus Lines : Tel# (02)743-6870
Victory Liner : Tel # (02) 920-7396
These Buses offers daily trip to Tabuk. Reservation is a must to get a secured seat.

The Chico River Rafters Creed:
The Chico River is never to be conquered,
But to be respected and protected.

Back to Manila:
It was indeed a great year ender trip for the rest of the rafters; everybody was baptized as the newest river warriors and left a promise of coming back.
Face your Fear and see you in the rapids:)